1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a rod holder device, and more specifically it relates to a tip down rod holder device. Most particularly, the invention relates to a tip down rod holder device that signals a fisherman when a fish is on the line.
2. Background Information
Fishing with a rod and reel combination is a common method of catching fish. When fishing, the fisherman cannot always be holding the pole when a fish bites. A number of devices have been developed that hold the rod and reel, as well as indicate when a fish has take the bait. Numerous patents have been issued that disclose devices that are used to hold the fishing pole and indicate that a fish has take the bait.
Some of the patents which have been granted include Debreczeni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,333, which describes a portable knockdown fishing rig, that includes a base, a fishing rod support, a flag and staff having its lower end mounted to the base. The flag and staff at its upper end is loosely engaged to a line, which is connected to a triggering mechanism, also mounted to the support. A pulling force exerted on the fishing line causes the triggering mechanism to release the flag staff, thus indicating the catch of a fish. In one embodiment, the upper part of the support is so shaped as to oppose tilting of the entire fishing rig when an important pulling force is exerted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,093, Bartys discloses a fishing tip-up construction for a rod on which is mounted a supporting stand having a pair of legs, movable between retracted and extended positions. The rod terminates at one end in a downwardly bent grip, which, together with the legs, forms a stable three-point support for the rod. A fishing line is wound on a reel that is supported on the rod between the grip and the stand. A signal device is movable from an inactive position to a signaling position in response to the application in one direction of a force on the fishing line. The force required to effect movement of the signaling device to the signaling position is adjustable.
Roberts, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,734, describes a fishing rod holder for casting and spinning reels including a holster portion for receiving a rod and a flexible clamp rotatably mounted in a recess on one end of the holster for retaining a reel within the holster. The flexible clamp is discontinuous with an opening less than the diameter of the circumferential slot, whereby the opening must be widened by flexing the clamp when assembling the clamp in the recess. The holster includes support flanges extending therefrom and straddling the recess for supporting the clamp in the recess and for providing stops to the rotation of the clamp when locking a rod in the holster or when releasing the rod from the holster.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,080, Allen discloses a fish trap system comprising a support, having a lower end and an upper end with a pivot pin there through. A fishing rod has a reel end with a reel coupled thereto and an eye end with a first eye coupled thereon, with line extendable from the reel through the fist eye to a hook with bait. The fishing rod further has an aperture at its central extent for pivotally coupling to the pivot pin, with an end aperture facing downwardly adjacent to the first edge. Also included is a trip rod, having an interior end pivotally coupled to the lower end of the support and having an exterior end with a second eye in proximity to the first eye on the side thereof remote from the reel. The trip rod has a supplemental pin adjacent to the exterior end extending upwardly to receive into the end aperture of the fishing rod. A resilient member is provided in tension coupling the first end of the reel rod and the lower end of the support, tending to urge the reel end of the rod downwardly.
Danser et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,142, describe an ice fishing system having a post with a lower end and an upper end. Also included is a fishing pole, pivotally coupled to the upper end of the post with fishing line depending from an end thereof. The device includes a vertically disposed post which has a large U-shaped notch at its upper end for receiving a fishing pole and a small U-shaped notch at the upper end for receiving a pivot pin. The notches are at right angles with respect to each other. A lower end of the post is equipped with a disk-shaped recess formed therein. A planar rectangular base is provided with an upstanding cylindrical projection for frictionally receiving the lower end of the post. The base also has two upwardly extending resilient U-shaped clamps. Such clamps include a large clamp for receiving the post and a small clamp for receiving the fishing pole. The clamps are positioned along a center line of the base such that the post and pole flank the vertical projection and remain in parallel relationship while being stored. The fishing pole is equipped with an aperture which extends through the center thereof. The pivot pin extends through the hole. During use, the pivot pin rests on the small notch such that the pole may be pivoted within the large notch. The fishing pole also includes a hole through one end thereof for the passage of fishing line there through. The hole preferably resides about a vertical axis, which is perpendicular with respect to both the pivot pin and axis of the pole. Also provided is a rotatable disk-shaped reel with a line secured to the post about a vertical axis. The reel has an associated bolt which extends upwardly from the pole and through the reel with an associated wing nut to vary the force needed to pull line from the reel and further allow the removal thereof. For manually dispensing and retracting the line, the reel preferably has a handle eccentrically mounted on the reel. A vertically extending eyelet is coupled to the pole between the reel and the hole for guiding the movement of string there through.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,948, Craig discloses a rod holder and signaling device for holding a fishing pole and signaling when a fish strikes a bait or lure. The device is compact and is adaptable to secure the fishing rod to various structures. The fishing rod may then be temporarily abandoned or remotely monitored by the angler. The rod holder includes a clamping device, which is adapted to clamp over a variety of support structures to securely mount the fishing pole at a targeted fishing location. Preferably, the rod holder is pivotable relative to the clamping device to adjust an angle of the rod with respect to the clamping device and the support structure. The signaling device includes a flexible member, a signaling member, and a release mechanism rotatably mounted on the flexible member. The release mechanism is rotatable about the flexible member in response to tension being detected in the fishing line and rotates to disengage the release mechanism and thus the flexible member from a connector along the rod holder. The signaling device provides a visible and/or an audible signal to the angler when the signaling device is triggered. Preferably, the release mechanism is adapted to trigger the signaling device in response to a variable amount of tension in the line.
Bishop, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,094, describes a fishing apparatus having a pivot arm mounted on a frame with a fishing line played out on one end of the pivot arm via a flexible fishing rod and a hooking mechanism connected to the opposite end via a trigger line and a pull line. The hooking mechanism resembles a mouse trap with a trigger connected to the trigger line arm, a retaining arm engaging the trigger and retaining a spring-loaded arm in the set position. The spring-loaded arm is connected to the pull line. A fish trying to swim with the hook will cause the pivot arm to tip down, triggering the hooking mechanism. The spring-loaded arm pivots downward rapidly, pulling the pivot arm so that the fishing rod moves upward rapidly and sets the hook in the fish's mouth. The spring bias in the spring-loaded arm then keeps the fishing line under tension so that the fish doesn't release the hook without ripping the hook from the mouth.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,395,628, Rayfield discloses a fishing system with audio and visual signals that is capable of use with both tip ups and tip downs. The fishing system includes a tower like tubular support extending from a base member configured to receive at least one tip down. The tubular support includes a tubular visual signal housed at a location on the support and an audio signal housed within the support. The tubular support includes a first wiring outlet configured for wiring a switch on the tip downs to the audio and visual signals and a second wiring outlet for wiring a switch on the tip ups to the audio and visual signals.
Keller, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,739,827, describes a holder for a rod and reel combination as may be used for ice fishing. The holder has an elongated arm pivotally supported on a wall, pail or fixture mounting bracket for adjustable movement in a horizontal plane. A tubular sleeve is pivotally attached to the arm for removably receiving and holding a rod and its reel in such an orientation that the rod points downwardly for selective positioning over an ice fishing hole. An alarm finger, movable between a restrained or cocked position and a tripped position, actuates an audible alarm attached to the arm. A fishing line engagement member is operatively associated with the alarm finger in such a way that when a fish strikes and pulls the line, the alarm finger is released from its cocked position and moves to its tripped position to actuate the alarm.
The present invention generally relates to a universal rod and reel holder for fishing, which includes an upright support that attaches to a unique holder, which is designed to balance the rod and reel in a horizontal orientation.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
An object is to provide a tip down device with a universal rod and reel holder for hands-free support of a fishing pole.
Another object is to provide a tip down device with a universal rod and reel holder for fishing that allows fishermen to use several poles at one time, increasing the odds of catching more fish.
Another object is to provide a tip down device with a universal rod and reel holder for fishing that allows the use of most types of fishing poles.
Another object is to provide a tip down device with a universal rod and reel holder for fishing that indicates a fish bite by pulling the tip of the rod down and putting up a signal flag.
Another object is to provide a tip down device with a universal rod and reel holder for fishing that is simple to operate and functions smoothly in all types of weather.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within, the scope of the present invention. To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention, being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of this application.